Harland's Point of View I could tell something was different about her the moment I got her at the airport. She was walking with more weight on her shoulders. Not the fluid motions I had come to know and love. Her brows had a single wrinkle between them when there were previously none. Going back to Desert Sun had changed something inside of her. Chewed at the frayed edges of her soul and spat it back out with no hesitation. I had known it would be too much for her to handle on her own. Knew that if I didn't step in, things would get out of hand. Teagan seemed plagued by memories. Demons that were no longer there but she had witnessed them nonetheless. Even now, standing in front of Ciaran and them, she seemed off. Her entire demeanor changed the moment they mentioned her going back. Looked petrified. Shoulders started shaking. A far cry from the strong woman I had known her to be. Something other than our parents must have triggered her then. Something that cut far deeper t
Teagan's Point of View They knew something was off with Jonah now, at least. It was strange that he wanted to accommodate my parents as much as he did. Strange that he would deny himself a hefty sum of money if I didn't want to go back to his godforsaken pack. Most of my side was now clean. Everything in the air between us. At least none of them blamed for me Jonah's reluctance to sign the deal. But the fact that war was brewing sang in my mind. Blew me almost out of the water. None of them wanted to tell me what was going on because I was vulnerable. At an odd angle in life at the moment. Backing Bellamy. What a distressing thought to have. One I didn't want to think about for too long. Or the fact that they wanted to arm themselves with weapons to go up against Phaedra. All of this meant that we had to get the uranium mine as soon as possible. I knew there was something brewing in the capital, don't get me wrong, but I never imagined it being this bad. For things to escalat
Teagan's Point of ViewThe mall was a crowded mess. Tons of teenagers walked about. Children screamed. And every last bit of it felt like home to me.Before I became the ambassador to Eiecrunt, I had been a stylist. Once upon a time. It now felt more like a fever dream than anything else. Being back here made all those memories come back. Let them flood in in great gushes.Most of my time was spent in this exact mall. Running from store to store, choosing the best outfits that fit my clients' budgets. I would catch ice cream in between stylings at the shop at the far end of the place. Eat lunch at the Boaba Restaurant which had the perfect view of Eiecrunt from its windows. All of now felt far away as I watched people pass by.I decided to sit on one of the benches in the middle of the large building. People watched to my heart's desire. Noticed everything happening around me.When we left home, I hadn't taken my purse. Nor any of my cards. I hadn't bargained on going to the shops.
Ulrich's Point of ViewThis must have been fate or some other form of divine intervention.I was scouting the mall for some people. Anyone who might look like they needed a fix. Some cash. Someone easy. Vulnerable.Until I saw her. Noticed her lounging on a bench between some potted ferns. Her eyes were tightly shut. Arms bracing her body on the bench behind her. But she looked different. Something was off.As if her sadness spoke to me on a deeper level. Called to me gently.I would never refuse to help a lady in need. Especially one that looked this beautiful, even with her sad glow. On that plane, something inside me switched. There was this pull to her that I couldn't explain. A draw that made me hover too close and hold my breath for too long.When we touched on accident, it was like electricity running through my veins. Filled me to the brim with a sense of elation I couldn't shove away. It was intoxicating. Heady.Something I had never felt before until now. Until her.From h
Teagan's Point of View"So, you have no one at home?" I asked again once the waitress decided to leave.She was eyeing Ulrich as if he was the last snack on earth and she was starving. Made my blood boil almost immediately when she ogled him so openly.But that's what you got when male humans came to Eiecrunt.They were treated like exotic pets and everyone just had to have one. Female humans on the other hand was treated like a disease. No one wanted to go near them. Avoided them at all costs.Not because they were female but rather human females. Our men enjoyed the rougher side of sex and that could lead to the woman getting hurt. Especially if the male got too much pleasure.Which would draw attention to us and that was another no-no.Ulrich smiled at me. Sipped on his espresso with long teeth. It was the effort to try and make it seem like he was enjoying it that did me in. I giggled.His brows furrowed together."What? Is there something wrong with my face?" he asked hurriedly
Teagan's Point of ViewAlvara was still looking at me like I had three heads. Looked near ready to come at me with fists, teeth, and legs. Anything to get her point across.But I knew what she saw and what the truth actually was. "And what do you think this looks like, Teagan? Because from where I am standing, it looks a whole lot like you are cheating on Harland," Her eyes narrowed on me. She glanced behind me to where Ulrich had retreated to. "with a human, no less."There it was. That little word. The nail in my coffin. He was a human. Nothing more. Just helpless and stupid because he wasn't like us. Not as strong or fast. Just another piece of meat that could easily be chomped down on.For some reason, her venom pointed toward him. Not me. Not fully, anyway. As if he had put me under some kind of a spell and I was just a helpless puppy.Which wasn't completely false. He had me under his spell but he didn't know it.Hell, the odds were great that he was under the same kind of spe
Teagan's Point of ViewI was on my fourth double gin and tonic. Harland had his hands clutched around a double brandy and coke. Some romcom played in the background. All the lights in the house were off. This was life. This was what I had missed.Our legs were intertwined on the couch as we faced each other. "Most disgusting food?" He asked with a mischievous grin.I could feel the alcohol by now. It unspooled my tense muscles. Made my stomach feel lighter and all my guilt washed away. Scrunching up my nose, I took another sip of my drink. "I think... blue cheese."We did this on occasion. When our lives ran away from us and we were two ships in the night, passing only from time to time, this was how we would catch up. A strange version of twenty questions.We used it to keep the relationship fresh. To catch up on things that might have changed. Mix it with some alcohol and you had a recipe for disaster. Or a very fun time. It could swing either way."When did you try that?" He a
Teagan's Point of View"All dolled up and ready to go?" Harland asked from the door.His smile was infectious. Gave me butterflies down to my toes.It was a relief that we were finally on the same page again. Could carry on without tiptoeing around each other's feelings. He had made his stipulations and expectations clear and I was more than willing to go with it. If it meant I could prove myself, once and for all, then I was game.We would find a different therapist today for me as well. Along with new outfits and luggage. A little bit of spoiling from my husband. From the man who had loved me his whole life long."Just about done. Just fixing some mascara." I replied and brushed on the last layer of it.My eyes popped. Lips looked plump. When I turned around, Harland's eyes bulged out of his face. Mouth dropped open until it was nearly hitting the floor. I smiled and gave him a little spin. Giggled when I came to a stop."How do I look?" I asked.He picked his jaw up off of the f
7 Months Later Teagan's Point of View "Who has the baby bag!" Ulrich screamed, flitting from room to room as he scrambled to get the one thing he was tasked with. "Already in the car," I mumbled, slipping out of my soaked nightgown. Although I doubted he heard me. No one could hear me above their panic right now. Who thought the baby would come in the middle of the night? Not fucking me. Not when I had finally figured out a way to sleep with such an enormous stomach. "Did you install the car seat like I asked?" Bellamy screamed back. I could hear him in the living room. He had forgotten to set up the spare cot downstairs. Thought now would be a good time to do it. Rolling my eyes, I slipped into a clean dress. Didn't bother with underwear. They were going to come off, anyway. "I can't find the fucking car keys! Who had them last?" Harland screamed. The house was echoing with their voices. Bounced around relentlessly. So it was no help to remind him that they were on the
Bellamy's Point of View"Where is he!" I screamed down the moist hallway. Down here in the earth, everything was damp. Which was strange, given we were in the middle of a desert.But that wasn't the problem right now. The problem was Felix. The bastard wasn't anywhere near the cells. Hell, his scent wasn't even here, which meant he had never made it down here to begin with. "Heir, sir, Alpha," The guard nervously stammered, sweat beading on his forehead. "From the list in the office, he was brought here right after you asked. The last man on duty here even swore he had booked him in."He had lied, no doubt. Or this little maggot was. Either way, Felix had never been here. No doubt thanks to all of his bribery. "Find him! The enemy is on our doorstep and you let our only fucking bargaining chip escape!" I roared and spun on my heels to march back the way I had come in. We had evacuated everyone in the town within an hour. Left only shells for homes and shops. Mariland and Keagan
Teagan's Point of View"Get most of the civilians to the ranch! Don't trust fucking any of the guards! The moment they try something funny, kill without mercy." Bellamy all but screamed as we stopped in front of the house.The two cars that had followed us from the desert were barely full, compared to when they left with us in the first place. So many of Bellamy's men had turned. Or died. "What do you want me to do?" I asked, clinging to his arm. Watched as his face shifted. Took in everything around us all at once.Those caramel eyes turned towards me. Blinked slowly."Why did you call my brother?" Bellamy asked in a whisper that no one else would be able to hear.Not with all of the commotion taking place around us.I stiffened. Twitched my eyes away from him.I knew he was going to be upset. I just hadn't thought it would come so soon. Not when we were still in crisis mode."Because I would rather take his help than see any of you in a grave. We need his man-power and he is more
Teagan's Point of ViewWe headed out into the eastern part of the desert with several guards in tow. The ones who stayed behind with Felix were informed of the situation and instructed to keep him shackled at all times.Killing him wasn't an option. Not until we could safely get Jonah back. The moment we had him or deemed him-I swallowed down the lump in my throat, shoving the thought that he might already be gone to the back of my mind.Bellamy was never going to forgive himself if he didn't say goodbye to his father. Especially after the note Jonah had left in his last file.As if he knew he was walking into his death."There... On the dune just past that large outcropping." Ulrich said from the passanger side.He was looking west now. Scanned the horizon fervently with the stars shining down on us.Out here in the middle of the night was the best time. With no light pollution, the air was clear. The Milkyway a shiny symbol above us.But in the direction Ulrich was looking, someone
Teagan's Point of ViewThe end note left my mind reeling. Shot a wave of dizziness through my body. Jonah knew. Knew about Harland being here and about Ulrich. Knew that we had taken some of his files. And he had done nothing about it. Actually counted on the fact that we might come snooping again.Now he was somewhere in the desert, likely dead, from what the note implied."We have to tell Bellamy." I breathed, feeling my lungs quiver with each word.Ulrich's eyes shot towards mine. Eyebrows nearly touched his hairline. "There is no fucking way I'm letting you go down there by yourself. We might not be able to hear what is happening but I can assure you, it isn't going to be pretty." "His father can be somewhere out there fighting for his fucking life and you just want to keep that from him when we can try and help?" I screeched, balling my hands into tight fists.A sheepish look passed over his face then. One of pain as well. "It's not like the guy is winning the Father of the Yea
Teagan's Point of ViewHarland moved closer to me on instinct. Shifted his weight to his dominant leg. Geared himself up for a confrontation if the need arose."What do you mean he can handle himself? Why would he have to?" I pushed more, feeling a shift of energy all around me.Felix gave me another long and cruel smile. Took one step forward before I noticed several men behind him. All tall and menacing. Brooding hulks that engulfed the space we stood in.None of them looked familiar. Or even scented to me that I knew them."Let's just say that Jonah isn't the only one fighting for his life right now." My heart slammed into my throat. Bellamy. He was talking about Bellamy. Harland sensed my urgency. Spun around and pushed me lightly to the staff door on the other side of the kitchen. "Go. I can handle this." He urged, fear lacing his voice.He was my mate and I loved him dearly. But he wasn't the best fighter around. Ulrich, on the other hand, was.I nodded and broke for the door
Teagan's Point of View Even with everything aired out, Harland barely looked my way. His shoulders were still sagging. Hair fell into his eyes. And whenever I tried to make eye contact with him he would look away the moment he noticed. The air wasn't clear yet. "He is going to be away for two days. I say we haul up in the pack house and start digging for whatever we can find on him. I told him I'm your new assistant, so he won't question my scent. Harland can lead the run tonight so that no one questions your absence too much. Get the shit and-" Bellamy shook his head in the driver's seat. Locked eyes with me in the back of the car. At least Harland had agreed to drive with us instead of walking. "No. I'll go lead the run. They won't expect Teagan to be there, seeing as the news of her pregnancy has spread like wildfire. Jonah can smell Harland in the house when he gets back because by then we will have everything we need to dethrone him. Just make sure that Felix doesn't j
Ulrich's Point of View Their family was fucked up. Beyond fucked up. Made me thankful that I had grown up in the foster system. Drama on drama on drama. Like there was no end to it. But it shaped Harland and Teagan into who they were. Gave me the greatest blessing I could ever have. Teagan. Our baby. A future where I didn't have to kill or maim. A stable home. Well, it was going to be a stable home the minute all of this madness passed. Died down. Which wasn't going to happen anytime soon, I was sure of that. "Harland. Wait up!" I screamed and followed him down the driveway. If he heard me, he gave no sign of it. Continued marching toward the gate and away from all the shit this place gave him. "Harland!" I tried again and upped my pace. Broke into a sprint. When I touched his shoulder, he whirled on me. Those were tears in his eyes. Snot peeking out from his nose. He was crying. And I could feel his pain as if it were my own. "Something wrong?" He asked, wiping his face
Teagan's Point of View Jessebelle brought out tea and coffee for everyone. Stood at the door and watched as the drama unfolded. Her little smirk of satsifaction upon seeing Mariland's distraught face was enough to make me smile as well. "Now then, we have something to drink. The mood in the room seems to be less intense. Care to explain what happened?" Bellamy asked, placing his coffee on the small table in the middle of the room. We were sitting around the living room like we were friends. Discussing the weather and upcoming plans. Like we weren't hoping the other would just fall over and die. Keagan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Placed on leg over the other. His eyes slid my way. Took me in with a remorseful look that had my bones aching. Was he ever as bad as Mariland? Not really. But he permitted it and that was all the confirmation I needed to not pity him. "When we mated, we tried for years to have a child. Jonah was freshly made the Alpha of Desert Sun and h